Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Lala Lajpat Rai(1865–1928) was anauthor, freedom fighterand politician, chiefly remembered as a leader in the Indian fight for freedom from the British Raj. He was popularly known asPunjab Kesari (The Lion of Punjab) or 'Sher-e-Punjab'.

In 1928, Lajpat Rai led a procession with Pandit Madan Mohan Malviyato demonstrate against theSimon Commission. During this procession, Rai became the target of a lathi charge led by British police.

During World War I, Lajpat Rai lived in the United States, but he returned to India in 1919 and in the following year led the special session of the Congress Party that launched the non-cooperation movement.

Imprisoned from 1921 to 1923, he was elected to the legislative assembly on his release. When the commission visited Lahore on 30 October 1928, Lala Lajpat Rai led the protest against Simon Commission in a silent non-violent march, but the police responded with violence. Lala Lajpat Rai was beaten withlathisat the chest.

He later succumbed to his injuries.Bhagat Singh, who was an eyewitness to this event, claimed that it was this act that caused him to 'vow to take revenge' against the culprits of this violence.